Drive-chain



(No Model.)

W. D. EWART. Drive Chay in.v

-No.240,8l9. Patented May 3, i888.

Ill

' i /pwzb UNITED STATES To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM DANA EWART, of Chicago, in the county of (look and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drive-Chains and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

My invention relates more particularly to that kind of drive-chains which is composed of a series of bars running in the direction of the length of the chain, hinged together at or near their ends, and arranged alternately singly and in pairs.

Previous to my invention this kind of chains has been made sometimes with the articulations of such construction as not to permit any separation of the parts of the chain afterits manufacture, except by changing the condition of the, parts, and sometimes with devices for coupling 1 the bars together of such construction that any two of the links might be readily detached and recoupled by simply turning the parts desired to be uncoupled (on their axes of articulation) out of their relative working positions; and in this kind of chains, made either detachable or non-detachable, it has been customary, prior to my invention, to have the articulations composed wholly of projections on the several parts adapted to bear against and interlock with each other, and so form hin ge-like j oints between the parts; but in such prior chains the bars composing the double or hollow link have always been permanently fastened together by one or more cross-rivets, and when made detachable such chains necessarily had the bars composing the double or hollow links thinner throughout their width elsewhere than at the locality of the articulate projections. They had to have the parts turned very far back to effect an uncoupling and the latter was effected by a peculiar movement of the single link (carrying the male members of the articulation) and without changing the relation of the bars composing the double or hollow link.

My invention has for its object to provide for use a detachable chain of the class referred to, in which there shall be no means of permanent securement together of the bars com- WILLIAM D. EWART, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRIVE-CHAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,819, dated May 3 1881.

Application filed January 5, 1881. (No model.)

posing the double links, in which each of said bars may be flanged throughout its entire length to a thickness at its edges equal to the thickness at the locality of the articulate projections of said bars, and in which, when the parts shall have been turned into an unusual relative position, the uncoupling is efl'ected by not only the detachment of a single link from a double one, but also by a separation of the bars composing the double link,

To these ends and objects, and also to provide a stronger and in other respects more desirable detachable chain of the class referred to than has heretofore been made, my invention consists in a drive chain composed of alternatelyarranged single-bar and doublebar links, each single-bar link having laterallyprojecting lugs, and the bars of the double links each having holes or receptacles adapted to the reception and retention of said lugs, the whole being constructed and operating together, as will be presently more fully described, so that while inworking positions the links (when coupled together) will be all hinged or articulated, and when turned into an unusual relative position the links may be uncoupled by the separation of the bars of any double link from the adjacent end of two single links, and from each other by a lateral movement only of the parts.

My invention further consists in a detaohable drive-chain composed of bars running in the direction of the length of the chain, and arranged alternately, singly and doubly, as set forth, having the articulations composed of projections which bear against each other, and having the parts so articulated capable of separation, when turned out of the working position, by a relative movement laterally only of the parts to be separated, all as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to more fully describe it, referring by letters of reference to the accompanying drawingsfl'orming part of this specification, and in which I have illustrated my invention in that form, or have shown that mode of carrying out my invention which now appears to me to be the [00 best, and in which In the drawings, Figure 1 is "an edge view; Fig. 2, a top or plan view; Fig. 3, a view illustrating the method of uncoupling the parts; Fig. 4, a vertical section at x m, Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a detail sectional view at line y y, Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 a detail view, showing a certain modification of form of some of the parts.

Wherever the same parts are visible in different figures they will be found designated by the same reference-letter.

The chain is composed of alternate singlebar links A and G, and double-bar links, each formed, as shown, of two similar bars, BB, each of which bars B is made, preferably, with flanged edges 1), the semicircular and more adjacent surfaces of which flanges, on the inner sides of the bars B B, constitute, as shown,

the. female members, at opposite ends of the link, of the articulations of the chain. Near each end of each single-bar link, and on opposite sides of the bar, are circular disk-like projections e, which are adapted to bear and work against the said semicircular portions of the flanges b, and from each of these articulate projections 0 projects a cylindrical stud or pin,f, the end of which is formed or provided with a sort of cross-head, 1', thus giving the device ft a construction and appearance analogous to that of a T-bolt. (See Fig. 4.

In each of the bars B B of the double link are holes or receptacles s, for the accommodation of the studs f, with their heads 2', in a manner and for purposes to be presently explained; and the arrangement of the oblong holes sand heads i of the double and single bar links respectively is such, as shown, that when the links of the chain are in line, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the heads i will stand crosswise of the direction of length of the holess. r

When the parts alluded to are all together and the chain in a working condition, as seen at Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the articulations, it will be understood, are composed essentially of the disk-like projections e and thesemicircular flange-like surfaces 1), against which said disks 6 bear and work during the operations and draft ofthe chain, and the studsf, though engaged with and turning withinthe central enlarged portionsof holes 8, do not fit any portions of said holes-snug] y enough to come to a frictional bearing therein during the draft of the chain,-but operate merely to prevent any material backing out of the disks 6 from their opposing female bearing-surtaceswhen the chain is not undertensional strain, while the cross-heads ioperate (in an obvious manner)'to prevent any lateral displacement of the parts of the chain.

Whenever it may be desired to uncouple anyof the parts of the chain, this end may be accomplished by turningthe parts to .be detached into the relative position illustrated by .Fig. 3, where, also, is illustratedthe removal of one of the bars B from the two single links A and 0. Of course the other bar B may in like manner be removed, and any number of pairs of parts may be subtracted from or added to the chain to shorten or lengthen it. The relative position of the parts necessary to thus ling of the chain parts, except by design.

' The partial section at Fig. 5 illustrates most clearly how the bars B may be easily detached from the single-bar links when the parts shall have been turned in the positions seen at that figure and at Fig. 3, while an observation of theother figures shows how the coupling devices are inseparable when the chain is in its working condition. H

It will be understood that the bars Bmight be made with properly-shaped concavities cast in them at the vicinities ofand instead ofthe holes 8, so that the cross-heads i and studs f might engage with such concavities andnot pass through the stock of the bars B, and that many other variations of form and details might be made Without materially changing either the principle of construction or mode of operation of the improved chain shown and described; also, that the projections c and flanges I) might be transposed in their respective relations to the single-bar and double-bar links, and that a'portion only of my invention may be used with great advantage. For instance, it' the male projections e of the articulations should be entirely omitted, either with or without the omission also of the flanges b, the studs f and the receptacles in whichthey work would then constitutev the articulations. and the parts of the chain could be separated only when turned into the positions already explained as necessary for uncoupling. In such case, however, it would be preferable. to make the heads of studs f project only at one side, and the holes 8 of the shape shown at Fig. 6, in order that during the working-strain there would be afforded a sufficient bearing-surface between the bearing-surface of stud f and the semicircular portion of hole 8, and to increase this bearing-surfacethe size of the stud and hole 8 might be increased.

I do not wish it to be understood that my invention is necessarily restricted to the employment at once of all the features of invention which 1 have herein described and shown;

Havingso fully shown and described a chain embracing all the separable features of my invention that any one skilled in .theart can practice the said features of my invention either together or separately, vwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. A drive-chain composed of alternatelyrarranged single-bar and double-bar links provided respectively with projectinglugs and holes, substantially as set forth, and'adapted to be uncoupled and recoupled when the parts are turned into an unusual relative position,

as set forth, by a lateral movement only of the l are turned out of a. working position by a lat port-s relatively, as hereinbefore described. I eral movement only of the parts relatively. 1o 2. Adrive-ohaineomposed of alternate single In witness whereof I have herenntoset-my and double bar links,the articulations of which hand this 28th day of October, .1880.

5 are composed, essentially, of male and female WILLIAM D. EWART.

projections, constructed substantially as de- In presence of scribed, adapted to bear againsteaoh other, S. HOWARD SMITH,

and to be coupled or uncoupled when the links O. R. MATSON. 

